Search - Astor Piazzolla, Horacio Ferrer :: En Persona

Strictly For Completeists

Kurt Harding | Boerne TX | 06/19/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"If you did not own this album in the original, chances are you have no idea what to expect. There is no album information posted here beyond the track listings. If you know the works of Piazzolla well, you will be able to guess the general period of original release because of the collaboration of Horacio Ferrer. But beyond that, trying to divine what you will hear was a shot in the dark until now.

Edicion Critica: En Persona is almost strictly for completeists, but it is not without its charms, for it is the collaboration between Piazzolla and Ferrer that marked a revolutionary and very literary new direction for Piazzolla's Tango Nuevo. Here you can hear a fleshing out of some of the themes that would ultimately lead to a distinctive avant-garde Buenos Aires sound heralded by the Piazzolla/Ferrer years.

On this CD, Ferrer recites poetry, much of which later became song. Piazzolla provides a mournful backdrop with his bandoneon. The recitation is filled with emotion appropriate to the poetry. Among the poems that later became well-known songs are Chiquilin De Bachin, Balada Para Mi Muerte, and Balada Para Un Loco.

If you don't understand Spanish and have extensive knowledge of Buenos Aires' tango/lunfardo demimonde, chances are you will either hate this CD or regard it as a quaint piece of exotica. But if you are an avid tanguero, then you should find a lot to enjoy here even in the absence of any real "music". Its quite an education and should be of assistance in understanding the musical milieu of Piazzolla and his confederates."